The Straits Times Podcasts The Straits Times

The kind of English we speak in Singapore has long been a discussion point. 
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.
Throwback to 1999 when then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong urged Singaporeans to start using standard English instead of Singlish. These days though, we fiercely defend our use of Singlish and embrace the Singaporean accent, even as we continue to advocate for a strong standard English foundation.
How did we get here and what changed in our quest to speak good English? 
I pose this question to recent university graduate Audrey Wan, 22, whose group’s final-year project inspired this episode. Along with Bernadette Toh and Erin Liam, university students from the Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, their final-year project was titled Eye on English.
I wanted to find out what they had found through the interviews they did with various groups and individuals such as a linguistic researcher, teachers, students, a former chief of government communications and a representative for the Speak Good English Movement.
Joining Audrey and myself on the show are actress, host and voiceover artist Caitanya Tan, 37, who makes videos on social media teaching her audience how to correctly pronounce some words, and content creator Nicole Chen, 26, who is fiercely proud of her Singaporean accent and Singlish. 
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:53 Why three university students decided to survey Singapore’s standard of English
8:11 Singlish, embraced
13:30 Once upon a time, using Singlish was frowned upon
15:30 The power of code-switching
26:40 Why is it difficult to teach Singlish
30:10 What happens to those who cannot code-switch?
37:55 Is Singapore's brand of English here to stay?
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)
Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Zachary Lim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX
Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Natasha Zachariah's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
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Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
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Excessive screen time can lead to speech delays, autism-like symptoms in children.
Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
My 18-month-old loves viewing videos on my phone; why is he not talking?
Screen time can help children develop social, creative, communication and other skills, but very young children, especially those below 18 months of age, are not ready for it. They should not be getting any screen time, unless it is for video chatting. 
Find out how excessive screen time can affect them, and how too much time spent on digital devices can lead to a myriad of issues in children above 18 months of age. For instance, children here are getting myopia from a younger age, from spending too much time indoors on near work and too little time outdoors in the daylight. 
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with her two guest experts - Dr Yvonne Ling, an eye surgeon specialising in adult squints and paediatric ophthalmology, from the Singapore National Eye Centre and Dr Christelle Tan, a consultant at the Department of Child Development at KK Womens’ and Children’s Hospital (KKH) to find out more. Dr Ling also sees young patients with various eye issues, including myopia, at KKH.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:06 Why is myopia something to watch out for? 
5:18 What is the best sport that children can do to stave off myopia?
8:17 Why is my 18-month-old baby not talking?
10:07 Case of 3-year-boy who spent hours on video games
11:50 Should I be worried about the autism-like symptoms in my child? 
26:16 What parents can do to protect their children from the effects of too much screen time? 
32:24 How to prepare for a myopia check? What parents can do to protect their children from the effects of too much screen time? 
Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg) and Eden Soh
Edited by: Eden Soh
Follow Health Check Podcast here every month and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The iron rice bowl is still sturdy, but demands on Singapore's public service have changed.
Synopsis: Every first Monday of the month, listen to the Work Talk podcast to help you work smarter, think deeper and get ahead in your work life.
With 152,000 employees across 16 ministries and more than 40 agencies, the public service is the biggest department in town.  
It reports to the government, but has a higher boss - Singaporeans who scrutinise its performance and spending. Why would somebody want to be a public servant?  Can you have a good public service career without a degree? Will the public service ever lay off workers in this era of AI disruption?  
We take on these questions, and take a look at its bigger challenges and mission.
Join host Krist Boo and the Minister-in-charge of the Public Service - Chan Chun Sing - for this 31st episode of Work Talk.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:43 What has changed for the public service in recent years?
7:13 Can a rank-and-file public servant make a difference?
10:11 Is joining the public service without a degree a career non-starter?
11:12 Will we ever see layoffs in the public service?
17:27 Can a mid-career jobseeker find success in the public sector?
Produced by: Krist Boo (kristb@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Amirul Karim
Edited by: Amirul Karim
Follow ST's Your Money & Career Podcast channel here:
Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3
Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Krist Boo's articles: https://str.sg/wB2P
Follow Krist Boo on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/shcB
Get business/career tips in ST's HeadSTart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
---
ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
---
#moneycareer
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest expert offers a striking insider look at what it was like to cover Donald Trump’s presidency, and lessons learnt from it.   
Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests.
Notwithstanding a conviction, and other cases against him, Donald Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination - and has a realistic chance of being elected President again in November 2024. A look back at his tumultuous four years in office (2017 through 2020) holds clues as to what to expect, if he returns to power. 
Some world leaders - Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe for instance - quickly learnt that the then-President Trump enjoyed being feted, says Steven Herman, former Voice of America (VOA) White House Bureau Chief. He notes that Modi and Trump in particular, held unprecedented massive joint rallies, in the US and in India.
Herman, now chief national correspondent for the state-funded but non-partisan VOA, looks back at Trump’s summitry around the world including with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore and Hanoi, and his combative relationship with the media, in his book - Behind The White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist’s Story Of Covering the President ― And Why It Matters.
Speaking with host Nirmal Ghosh, Herman says that for most US Presidents, the priority is substance over style, but in the case of Trump, leaders took pains to roll out the red carpet knowing that his mood greatly depended on how he was greeted, and whether his ego was massaged. 
Highlights (click/tap above): 
2:33 On travelling the world with Donald Trump: How he very much enjoyed the pageantry
5:14 Why Trump was essentially franchising his name, but "when you're President of The United States, there tends to be a higher level of scrutiny..."
7:00 How the phrase “enemy of the people” that he used, really took a lot of journalists aback
9:45 How the media reacted to this phenomenon
13:07 Herman on the run-up now: "A lot of focus especially by the conservative media not on what Joe Biden is saying but how he’s saying it...they’ll chop up video to make it appear he is stumbling"
14:15 Herman has deep experience working in Asia too: How the Voice Of America has been received or perceived by governments of the countries here
Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg) and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month here:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Follow Nirmal Ghosh on X: https://str.sg/JD7r
Read Nirmal Ghosh's articles: https://str.sg/JbxG
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u 
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt 
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE 
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN 
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf 
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m 
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE 
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad 
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX 
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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T 
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn 
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB 
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa 
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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB 
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 
#STAsianInsider
See omnystudio.com/list

This car-sharing service managed to convince the government to allow them to match private car owners to hirers.
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends.
Car-sharing causes traffic congestion because the cars are more heavily used; the cars tend to be abused by the hirers; and in the event of an accident, the insurance excess to pay will be stratospheric - beliefs that Mr Dirk-Jan Ter Horst disagrees with. 
The Dutch co-founder of peer-to-peer car sharing platform Drive lah, which has been matching private car owners to hirers since 2019, speaks with host Lee Nian Tjoe to make sense of it all. 
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:02 Using data to convince the Land Transport Authority that peer-to-peer car-sharing works.
13:20 The secret ingredient to running a “two-sided marketplace”.
22:59 Driving a rental car into Malaysia
25:50 Why a resident in Marine Parade hires a car in Jurong. 
35:01 Being a good host 
43:14 The goal is to make cars accessible to the public. 
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai
Follow COE Watch Podcast here:
Channel: https://str.sg/iTtE
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/iqW2
Spotify: https://str.sg/iqgB
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Lee Nian Tjoe's articles: https://str.sg/wt8G
Follow Lee Nian Tjoe on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/iqkJ
Read more COE articles: https://str.sg/iGKC
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
---
ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
#coewatch
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home-grown singer and songwriter Shazza is the 12th guest in this music channel.
Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.
In the 12th episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts Singaporean singer and songwriter Shazza.
The past year has been quite eventful for the 22-year-old - her music caught the attention of several high profile personalities, including Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chris Martin, the frontman of popular British band Coldplay.
A video that she did with Canadian pop duo Crash Adams went viral worldwide, earning her new fans from as far as Brazil.
As one of the artists fronting Spotify’s Equal campaign, her face was featured on a billboard at Times Square in New York City.
In July 2023, she put out her debut album Chapter One, a release that includes Right Person, Wrong Time, a song that has clocked over two million streams in Spotify alone.
The hijab-wearing singer, whose real name is Shareefa Aminah, speaks about how people assume she makes Malay music because of how she looks, as well as her drive towards inclusivity in the pop music world.
She also sings for our Music Lab Podcast, a live rendition of her latest single Rain In Manhattan, a duet with fellow home-grown singer-songwriter Umar Sirhan.
Highlights (click/tap above):
0:58 On having to turn down an invitation to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s swearing-in ceremony
3:25 How singing in the viral Crash Adams video made her famous worldwide
5:28 Chris Martin calling out her name at one of Coldplay’s Singapore concerts
9:45 On being featured on New York’s Times Square billboard
11:24 Being a hijab-wearing singer making English pop music
13:26 Realising her calling for music at a young age
16:00 On choosing the unconventional path of music as a career
20:39 How juggling school and a music career can get overwhelming
27:58 On plans to nurture new artistes in the future
Watch the special live performance and video podcast version of this episode on the Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/b5za
Listen to Shazza’s live performance of Rain In Manhattan with Umar Sirhan here: https://str.sg/B3cx
Discover home-grown artiste Shazza at: 
YouTube: https://str.sg/JS8i9
Spotify: https://str.sg/wKh4d
Instagram: https://str.sg/uoqd
Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim
Recorded by: ST Podcast Team
Edited by: Amirul Karim
Follow Music Lab Podcast here every month:
Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB
Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
---
ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.